The present invention pertains to truck caps and more particularly to a portable truck cap which can be stored in a relatively small space and minimizes wind resistance.
Truck caps have been used for some time over the cargo boxes of pickups and similar trucks to decrease wind resistance and provide a covered storage space. These truck caps have consisted of two types: solid and flexible.
Solid truck caps consist of a rigid metal, wood or plastic enclosure over the cargo box of the truck. These truck caps eliminate wind resistance of the open cargo box, however, they can add significant wind resistance of their own. Solid truck caps are heavy, difficult to attach and detach, and if detached, take up a significant amount of off vehicle storage space. Because of these reasons, these truck caps are generally left on the vehicle as a permanent or semi-permanent part of the truck. Some solid caps also require that holes be drilled in the truck to permit attachment of the cap.
Flexible truck caps are light and easy to store but have frames requiring holes to be drilled in the truck. Most of them also attach a flexible cover to a frame by means of snaps or similar connectors which must be precisely aligned. This presents a problem when the material used for the cap is vinyl or similar moderately priced flexible materials which expand or contract with changes in temperature. Flexible caps also have a tendency to wrinkle or flap in the wind at high speeds. Both of the latter may result in a shorter than desired life of the truck cap.
It is therefore highly desirable to provide an improved truck cap.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved truck cap that eliminates wind resistance of the open cargo box, and in addition improves the aerodynamics of the truck in general.
It is further highly desirable to provide an improved truck cap that maintains a smooth streamlined shape during use despite wind resistance.
It is likewise highly desirable to provide a portable truck cap that is easy to attach and detach at any temperature.
It is yet also highly desirable to provide an improved portable truck cap that is easy to store when detached either off the vehicle in a relatively small space or on the vehicle within a portion of the cargo box.
It is yet further highly desirable to provide an improved truck cap that may be attached without drilling holes in the truck.
It would finally be highly desirable to provide an improved truck cap which meets all the above desired features.